Ofcom has published its final recommendations of the streaming devices and Smart TV platforms which must prominently display catch-up apps from the UK’s major broadcasters.
New rules introduced by the 2024’s Media Act require Ofcom to identify both the most commonly used streaming devices and Smart TV platforms (known as television selection services or ‘TSS’) and the apps (known as ‘designated internet programme services’ or DIPS) which are to benefit from the prominence requirement.
The intention behind the rules is to ensure that content from Public Service Broadcasters – the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV and S4C – is easy for audiences to find.
The list of potential TSS has been submitted to the Culture Secretary who will then make her final decision next year.
The BBC’s iPlayer app is automatically designated as a DIP and the other PSBs can apply for their respective apps to be designated by Ofcom.
Once both the TSS and DIPS have been designated, the broadcasters which own a DIP must offer their app to the TSS platforms which in turn must allow them onto devices and display them in a prominent way.
Where the two sides cannot reach agreement, Ofcom will be able to resolve disputes.
Ofcom has determined that to be a designated TSS, a platform must be present in at least 700,000 homes and be available to buy as of July 2025.
Its final list of designated platforms, which was drawn up following a consultation earlier this year, is:
- Amazon Fire TV OS 6, 7 and 8
- Android TV 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14
- Apple TV OS 18
- Freely
- Google TV 10, 11, 12 and 14
- LG WebOS 22, 23, 24 and 25
- Roku OS 14
- Samsung Smart Hub (Tizen) 7, 8 and 9
- Sky Entertainment OS (Sky Glass and Sky Stream)
- Sky Q
- VIDAA OS U6, 7, 8 and 9
- Virgin Media Horizon
- Virgin Media TiVo on V6 ITE
- YouView on EE TV devices made by Sagemcom and YouView on Sony TVs
Designation will automatically apply to future versions of each of the above platforms.
Despite calls from Sky for it to be included, the pay-TV giant’s Sky+ HD set top box has not been included on the list.
In its response to Ofcom’s consultation, Sky raised the prospect that omitting the device risked its users losing access to PSB content. However Ofcom concluded that the “number of active users no longer meets what we consider to be the threshold for significance.”
Separately, the BBC unsuccessfully argued for the qualifying threshold to be lowered from 700,000 to 250,000 in order to bring smaller systems such as Whale TV, Titan and Tivo, into scope.
However Ofcom concluded that setting the figure too low could “discourage” smaller platforms from entering the market due to the costs of complying with the must-carry requirement.
The new rules were brought in after extensive lobbying by the PSBs which were keen that the prominence gifted to them in Electronic Programme Guides on traditional TVs should be replicated on streaming devices and the app sections or hubs on Smart TVs.